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Emma vs Olive

Emma and Olive compared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Olive #247 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Emma was ranked #67 and Olive #33 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #85 and Olive #47 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Olive #106 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Emma was ranked #65 and Olive #68 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Emma was ranked #84 and Olive #119 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Emma and Olive over time

Republic of Ireland · Girls
#1#3#10#30#100#30019642025Emma #28Olive #2471964: Emma #245, Olive #721965: Emma #198, Olive #961966: Emma #226, Olive #1021967: Emma #179, Olive #961968: Emma #161, Olive #1041969: Emma #139, Olive #1021970: Emma #93, Olive #1211971: Emma #131, Olive #1131972: Emma #86, Olive #1271973: Emma #50, Olive #1311974: Emma #41, Olive #1391975: Emma #38, Olive #341976: Emma #36, Olive #881977: Emma #30, Olive #1501978: Emma #24, Olive #2001979: Emma #11, Olive #2611980: Emma #11, Olive #2201981: Emma #7, Olive #1931982: Emma #8, Olive #2161983: Emma #7, Olive #2601984: Emma #8, Olive #3201985: Emma #5, Olive #3251986: Emma #5, Olive #3561987: Emma #3, Olive #2561988: Emma #3, Olive #3041989: Emma #3, Olive #4081990: Emma #2, Olive #4461991: Emma #2, Olive #4231992: Emma #3, Olive #5231993: Emma #3, Olive #3001994: Emma #4, Olive #4501995: Emma #5, Olive #3521996: Emma #2, Olive #4711998: Emma #5, Olive #4982000: Emma #4, Olive #3242002: Emma #4, Olive #5122003: Emma #1, Olive #3622005: Emma #1, Olive #6892006: Emma #2, Olive #6352007: Emma #2, Olive #7052008: Emma #4, Olive #5972009: Emma #3, Olive #6412010: Emma #3, Olive #5552011: Emma #3, Olive #6122012: Emma #3, Olive #7682013: Emma #2, Olive #4912014: Emma #3, Olive #3732015: Emma #2, Olive #4622016: Emma #7, Olive #3902017: Emma #2, Olive #2722018: Emma #3, Olive #3612019: Emma #12, Olive #4212020: Emma #14, Olive #4442021: Emma #15, Olive #3222022: Emma #11, Olive #4582023: Emma #19, Olive #3162024: Emma #17, Olive #2432025: Emma #28, Olive #247

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

England and Wales · Girls
#30#100#300#100019962025Emma #85Olive #471996: Emma #14, Olive #16461997: Emma #13, Olive #12871998: Emma #15, Olive #12591999: Emma #17, Olive #24442000: Emma #17, Olive #13132001: Emma #20, Olive #15202002: Emma #27, Olive #11042003: Emma #19, Olive #9652004: Emma #20, Olive #10432005: Emma #23, Olive #10122006: Emma #27, Olive #8162007: Emma #29, Olive #6232008: Emma #31, Olive #4452009: Emma #41, Olive #4282010: Emma #48, Olive #3372011: Emma #49, Olive #3432012: Emma #50, Olive #2602013: Emma #55, Olive #2332014: Emma #57, Olive #2102015: Emma #60, Olive #1762016: Emma #53, Olive #1482017: Emma #52, Olive #1512018: Emma #56, Olive #1202019: Emma #59, Olive #1092020: Emma #60, Olive #992021: Emma #61, Olive #742022: Emma #68, Olive #742023: Emma #71, Olive #572024: Emma #69, Olive #532025: Emma #85, Olive #47

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Emma and Olive over time

Emma and Olive appear together in 5 published lists, across 126 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Olive in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Olive in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Olive in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Olive #34 in 1975.

    The order changed in 1976: Emma moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #38 and #34; by 1976 that had become #36 and #88.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Olive #247.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Olive in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Olive #47 in 2025.

    The order changed in 2023: Olive moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #68 and #74; by 2023 that had become #71 and #57.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #85, Olive #47.

  • New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2010–2023

    Emma held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Olive in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #10 in 2010, Olive #21 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2020: Olive moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #27 and #44; by 2020 that had become #45 and #23.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #67, Olive #33.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls13 shared years, 2013–2025

    Emma held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Olive in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #20 in 2013, Olive #55 in 2022.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #65, Olive #68.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024

    Emma held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Olive in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Emma #18 in 2013, Olive #119 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #84, Olive #119.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Emma

Pairs where Emma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Olive

Pairs where Olive shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top →

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emma, Olive
FieldEmmaOlive
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA shortened form of Germanic names beginning with the element 'irmin' ('whole, great'), from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. Introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred II and later King Canute; further popularised by Jane Austen's 1816 novel Emma.Not yet recorded
OriginGermanicNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɛm.ə/Not yet recorded
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #1 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #47 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emma has a recorded origin (Germanic); Olive does not have one recorded yet.
  • Emma has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Olive.
  • A meaning is recorded for Emma; Olive doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Emma

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #342 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1969–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #85 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Olive

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #72 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded2010–2023

    Highest recorded position: #21 among girls in New Zealand, in 2022 (recorded 2010–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #47 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls